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Published: 2009-11-21 15:24:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 579398; Favourites: 16740; Downloads: 18309
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Description
UPDATE 7/31/2011: I've uploaded a slightly revised version. Content is still the same._
This tutorial is very extensive and will be published in (at least) four parts.
Skin basics: A simple but in-depth look that expands beyond the usual shadow-midtone-highlight formula, and how to use each tonal range most effectively.
COMING SOON:
__
This tutorial uses mostly digital work as examples, but the theory behind it should apply to ALL mediums. But of course it goes without saying that this is hardly the end-all-be-all of skin painting tutorials. Just my way of thinking about it.
I tried to make this accessible for artists of all skill levels. Intermediate artists will probably benefit the most. Beginners will probably find some of the principles discussed difficult to put into practice. But don’t be frustrated! The only “secret” to being a good painter is practice.
Also-- this should go without saying, but I will say it anyway: the ONLY WAY to learn how to paint/draw anything well, let alone realistically, is to STUDY COLOR THEORY AND FORM. All the stuff I blather on about in this tutorial is meaningless unless you take the initiative to learn the fundamentals of color and figure drawing.
Please, any questions, concerns, criticisms, etc: comment below.
Thanks so much for the DD!
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Comments: 734
navate In reply to ??? [2009-12-01 16:34:25 +0000 UTC]
Hello! I do not have plans on doing any tutorials about individual features like lips or eyes. There are already a lot of great tutorials out there.
Here are two of my favorites:
Katharine Dinger [link]
Linda Bergkvist: [link]
Color wise, use pinkish tones mixed heavily with some of the mid-tones to get a good starting lip color. The important thing to remember is that they are a PART of the face. Don't make a harsh edge where the lips "end". On most mouths, there is an area at the mouth corners where the "lip color" sort of softly bleeds into the normal skin color. Also pay attention to the area around the lips. This will help you shade the lips more convincingly.
Hope that helped some
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Vari-Vigilante In reply to navate [2009-12-01 21:28:38 +0000 UTC]
This will do it, just what i needed, thank you very much for your time.
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kungfuam In reply to ??? [2009-12-01 09:59:58 +0000 UTC]
Thank you very very much for the tutorial.
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Mikoshiro In reply to ??? [2009-12-01 00:21:25 +0000 UTC]
Wow this is kewl o.o! Shame it's in english and there are some pretty hard words to understand
it'd be great to translate it XD'
If I would have some time could i translate it? on polish lol it would be great practice tho o.o
Anyway Great work! i'm immpresed such helpful thing!
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navate In reply to Mikoshiro [2009-12-01 16:20:43 +0000 UTC]
Sure, just link back/credit and all that. The more people it can reach the better. Thanks!
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Mikoshiro In reply to navate [2009-12-01 19:49:27 +0000 UTC]
Cool! Thanks! Ofcourse I'll credit and link back to you, it's obvious
*happy* ^^
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mechanical-cookie In reply to ??? [2009-11-27 16:22:42 +0000 UTC]
Very useful, descriptive and easy to understand, thank you so much!
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Ailinne In reply to ??? [2009-11-25 21:15:06 +0000 UTC]
This is an ABSOLUTELY brilliant tutorial! You should be given the first prize for the best skin tutorial on the site! A sort of prize that would encourage other great artists to make tutorials as good as yours, because frankly, the other tutorials are pretty vague, even when coming from real professionals.
Not only do you have amazing talent, but also a unique and practical way of thinking! I love the softness of your art. Thank you so much again for the tutorial!
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navate In reply to Ailinne [2009-11-25 21:57:18 +0000 UTC]
Thank you and you're welcome.
I think the problem is a lot of professionals forget what it was like when they were still starting out. They give excellent advice, but don't word or demonstrate it in a way that less-experienced artists can understand. So, it's definitely a goal to break through that communication barrier with my attempt. So far so good; I hope the remaining sections are as easy to understand as this one is, hahah.
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Ailinne In reply to navate [2009-11-25 22:07:57 +0000 UTC]
I'm waiting for the remaining sections quite impatiently! They are all listed in the description as if they were already there, I cannot find them though - so I presume they're still coming? TOO BAD! The first part is so excellent I was instantly tempted to read more and then try, but I guess that will have to wait
Also, you are the best for thinking about, showing and sharing ethnical diversity in the tutorial addendum. The world is complex, isn't it?
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navate In reply to Ailinne [2009-11-26 00:35:46 +0000 UTC]
Yes, the rest is still being polished up. Section II will go live this weekend, probably Saturday. It is huuuuuuge and will come with a giant supplement image chart.
And thank you. Yes it is.
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Ailinne In reply to navate [2009-11-26 18:01:30 +0000 UTC]
For sure I'm not the only person awaiting your new tutorials
Thanks for keeping them up. All the best to you!
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Tattersail In reply to ??? [2009-11-25 19:21:00 +0000 UTC]
Wow, this is brilliant! I love it!
Could you do one on eyes too, please?
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navate In reply to Tattersail [2009-11-25 22:06:53 +0000 UTC]
Thanks you!
Oof... If I ever cover eyes, it would be within the context of the entire face. I have wanted to do a face tutorial for a long while but I have no clue if it will ever get made. But I won't cover any features individually. Here's why:
A big motivator for making this skin tutorial was that I thought existing tutorials were severely lacking. There are already good tutorials about how to paint eyes, lips, noses... I don't have much to add, really. But more importantly, I STRONGLY disagree with teaching people to isolate the features. If you want to paint a good eye, you have to paint the whole structure of the face around it well too. You've got to think of the whole, not just the parts you have fun detailing. So any eye-related tutorials will be included in a big lesson on the structure of the face itself--and I can't make any promises about when or if that'll happen.
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Tattersail In reply to navate [2009-11-29 14:47:22 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, I agree with you there
I'm really looking forward to the next section of your tutorial, as I really like the way you paint skin, and I desperately need to get better at it (the goal is to get a painting into ImagineFX)
Will you cover blending and such as well?
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navate In reply to Tattersail [2009-11-29 14:49:20 +0000 UTC]
Blending, texturing, all the practical "how to" stuff will be in the fourth section.
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Tattersail In reply to navate [2009-12-03 18:35:39 +0000 UTC]
ah, eggcellent! I absolutely love the way you do it, that mixture of rough and smooth that works so well
I've read some tutorials on blending, but still find it very tricky. Texturing is also something I've been thinking about lately, although avoding thus far
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LadyFireIce02 In reply to ??? [2009-11-25 18:26:07 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much for sharing
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raradolly In reply to ??? [2009-11-25 10:36:15 +0000 UTC]
This is really good for me because skin is one of those things that causes me a great deal of stress. In fact, I have lots of paintings that are original that I can't really find references for, that I have like 40+ hours in, but the character looks so dead because of the skin that I can't finish it and show it off, lol. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of these.
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navate In reply to raradolly [2009-11-26 00:37:03 +0000 UTC]
Aah, I hear you! I still have the issue sometimes and I have to sit back and really think about what I need to do to correct it... Keep on practicing. Glad to be of help.
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GlacialErratic In reply to ??? [2009-11-25 04:59:38 +0000 UTC]
Wow thanks a lot for this! The best part is the "NEVER DO THIS!" right after what I'm used to doing...
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ChrisGallagher In reply to ??? [2009-11-24 23:33:05 +0000 UTC]
pretty cool of you to share your energy ..... this tool a while I'm sure. Good Karma!!!
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navate In reply to ChrisGallagher [2009-11-25 05:18:11 +0000 UTC]
I don't want to think about how many hours I've put into this tutorial as a whole...it's crazy! But worth it, I hope.
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JeffsStudio In reply to ??? [2009-11-23 18:33:00 +0000 UTC]
Thank You Lauren! I think you are a great artist.
- Jeff @ jeffsstudio
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CamaroGirl666 In reply to ??? [2009-11-23 08:24:49 +0000 UTC]
Oh wow this is a great tutorial!! well explained and easy to follow
Thank you so much for taking the time to make it!
and i can't wait for the other parts
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navate In reply to CamaroGirl666 [2009-11-24 16:09:17 +0000 UTC]
My pleasure! Thanks very much for reading
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unefleur In reply to ??? [2009-11-23 02:48:01 +0000 UTC]
I was having loads of trouble building up tones. This helped a lot, I cannot wait to learn more!
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navate In reply to unefleur [2009-11-24 16:09:40 +0000 UTC]
So glad to have helped. Thanks for reading!
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miguelopazo In reply to ??? [2009-11-22 22:39:17 +0000 UTC]
Thanks to share your knowledge and skills, this is one of the bests tutorials on DA
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navate In reply to miguelopazo [2009-11-22 23:42:39 +0000 UTC]
Thank you. There's plenty more to come on this though.
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MelanieMaterne In reply to ??? [2009-11-22 16:02:56 +0000 UTC]
thank you very very much! great tutorial! i am sure it will help me a lot and i cant wait for the next ones... THANKS
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navate In reply to MelanieMaterne [2009-11-22 18:03:45 +0000 UTC]
Awesome, thanks for reading!
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Nuttert In reply to ??? [2009-11-22 11:35:03 +0000 UTC]
i always fail at realistic skin... this surely is a great tutorial!
i'm looking forward to the other tree parts! !
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